‘Three Imaginary Boys’: Robert Smith’s least favourite album by The Cure
Considering that Robert Smith, the frontman of The Cure, once described the band’s track ‘Lovesong’ as “disappointing”—despite it being widely regarded as one of their finest works—it’s no surprise that he is The Cure’s harshest critic. It seems entirely fitting for Smith to fill that role.
The singer is the epitome of what many would consider the archetypal artiste in terms of music. Never happy with looking back, always wanting to evolve despite rarely putting much effort into putting out a new record — it took over a decade to release their latest LP Songs of A Lost World — Smith often provides the toughest view on the band he created and is, mostly, considered one of the best Britain has ever produced.
Unapologetic in his critique of his own band, Smith’s standards for what makes a great track often lean toward The Cure’s more unconventional material, which he regards as their best. The same applies to albums; while Smith is undoubtedly aware of the fanbase’s adoration for certain records in the band’s expansive discography, he rarely lets that sway his personal opinions. This might explain why he once referred to one of The Cure’s most beloved albums as his “least favourite”.
During an interview with Rolling Stone, Smith candidly walked through The Cure’s extensive discography. However, the conversation started on a sour note as Smith declared the band’s debut album, Three Imaginary Boys, their worst effort. While many fans might romanticise debut albums for their raw energy and unfiltered passion, Smith sees it differently. In his eyes, the LP falls far short of the high standards the band would establish with their later work.
The Cure were still finding their footing when they released their searing post-punk debut in 1979, an album brimming with malicious intent yet drenched in melancholy and melodrama. Moving quickly past their cover of ‘Foxy Lady’ by Jimi Hendrix, tracks like ‘10.15 Saturday Night’, ‘Accuracy’, and ‘Object’ land with serious weight. The record hinted at a bright future but, in retrospect, lacks the depth of their later output, even in Robert Smith’s own assessment.
“The first one is my least favourite Cure album,” Smith told Rolling Stone. But, rather than it being about the songs, Smith wasn’t a fan because of what happened after they’d recorded the album. “Obviously, they are my songs, and I was singing, but I had no control over any other aspect of it: the production, the choices of the songs, the running order, the artwork. It was all kind of done by Parry without my blessing. And even at that young age, I was very pissed off”.
“I had dreamed of making an album,” continued Smith, “And suddenly we were making it, and my input was being disregarded. I decided from that day on we would always pay for ourselves and therefore retain total control.” It is a decision that would shape The Cure forever. Ever since, the group’s ability to control their output has allowed them to retain a supremely high quality as well as only deliver work which they truly believe in, making them one of the most authentic bands to ever exist.
In consideration of the songs on Three Imaginary Boys, Smith is a little less hesitant: “I was writing songs for the first album for a period of about two or three years. I wrote ’10:15 Saturday Night’ and ‘Killing an Arab’ when I was about sixteen, and we recorded the album when I was eighteen, so I wasn’t really still convinced by some of the songs. The pop songs like ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ are naive to the point of insanity [laughs]. But considering the age I was and the fact that I had done nothing apart from go to school – no real-life experience, everything was taken from books – some of them are pretty good.”
For my money, Three Imaginary Boys is far from the band’s worst album. It is potent and pulsating with all the verve and vigour that The Cure would take into their careers. However, it is easy to see how an artist like Smith, who consistently pushed the artistic envelope, would be dismayed by his first outing. An artist who has always pushed forward will always consider his first attempt at creating magic to be no more than a sleight of hand in comparison to the huge illusions he is now showing millions of listeners.
